XML Protocol Comparisons

The purpose of this document is to compare and contrast a variety of XML
protocols. It will probably take a while to flesh out the form and content.
Viewers are invited to comment and contribute. The forum for discussing this
page and the data within is xml-dist-app@w3.org. The list and archives are
open, you may join xml-dist-app by sending mailto xml-dist-app-request@w3.org with
the Subject: subscribe.

Since this document was created in March 2000,
W3C chartered the XML
Protocol Working Group whose task is to produce a simple XML-based
messaging and remote procedure call protocol.

a mechanism allowing features and functionality to be added beyond
what the architects can predict. Some protocols mention extensibility as
a requirement without defining the mechanism. Generally, protocols that
use namespaces and specify what to do with unknown namespaces get
extensibility for free.

reduces to a minimal line protocol for communication between non-naive
agents. This implies removing all schema information. Pairing this with
interface discovery requires sufficient
parameter identification that a naive agent may also participate with
additional schema information.

The protocol explicitly supports sending requests to a remote system
to execute a designated function, method, or procedure defined by an
application using the protocol rather than functions defined in or by
the protocol itself.